SUMMERTIME . . . and the readin’ is easy – because the hot book topic is pets. John Grogan’s best-selling “Marley & Me” isn’t the only noteworthy book out there about a dog. In fact, the literary landscape has spawned a new breed of chick lit: books written by and for women who love animals, especially dogs. Here’s a quick primer:

FICTION

“Pug Hill” by Alison Pace ($14, Berkley Trade): A sweet treat for pug fanciers, especially those who congregate in Central Park, and specifically on the park’s “Pug Hill” area of the book’s namesake.

“Dog” by Michelle Herman ($10, MacAdam/Cage):

The moving tale of a single college professor who finds unconditional love – with an adopted dog.

NONFICTION

“Woman’s Best Friend:

Woman Writers on the Dogs in Their Lives,” edited by Megan McMorris ($14.95, Seal Press): The essays in this anthology range from humorous to heartbreaking. The book includes a foreword by the excellent Pam Houston.

“Rex and the City: A Woman, a Man, and a Dysfunctional Dog” by Lee Harrington ($23.95, Villard):

Canine guardianship and couplehood in Manhattan, as told by the popular columnist for The Bark magazine.

“The Good Good Pig:

The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood” by Sy Montgomery ($21.95, Ballantine Books): Grownup fans of children’s favorite “Charlotte’s Web” won’t be able to resist this grown-up story of a rescued piglet who achieves hog heaven on Earth.

That subtitle is no joke – this 688-page tome is packed with smart information, all vetted by Hotchner, who’s a veritable dog with a bone when it comes to reporting and research.

“Planet Dog: A Doglopedia” by Sandra and Harry Choron ($14.95, Houghton Mifflin): An appealingly designed compendium of amusing K-9 factoids and lists.

“Kids and Dogs: Teaching Them to Live, Play and Learn Together” by Ruth Weston and Catriona Ross ($16.95, Allen & Unwin Publishers): Children and canines are a natural together – here’s advice on how to raise the next generation of chick-lit authors.